The World is a Book………………….the Importance of Travel

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page.”                       ---St. Augustine

I couldn’t have summed it up better than the St. Augustine quote above. Travel is wonderful; it’s exciting and brings one so much learning and growth. There is no better way to get to know the world; other people, different cultures, new ideas………….

I understand that not everyone can afford to travel to faraway places; it’s not necessary. These days, you can visit a place through a book, through the internet, with virtual reality……in a myriad of ways.

Coming from immigrant parents and having lived abroad for a few years, with a new language, culture and way of life, I continued to understand that you only know people when you understand the context of their lives, community, culture, with its beliefs, thoughts and ways.

To some extent, I always understood this because my folks taught us different cultural habits throughout my childhood. We were the only Europeans in the neighborhood and people looked at us as exotic and interesting. We ate well; did I mention that my parents were from Paris, France? We spoke several languages in our house and we understood that there wasn’t just one way…………of thinking, believing, eating, speaking, relating to each other…….

I started traveling at an early age, sometimes solo, sometimes with others. It showed me that I could be flexible and adaptable and that I could manage. I was curious and asked many questions and listened closely to the responses. I got to experience the similarities and differences within cultures, families and between people. We are all humans, after all.

Let’s not forget the art and creative part of cultures. We can see beautiful architecture, experience amazing art, stand under ancient ruins and imagine ourselves living in a new world……or an old one….

Travel not only opens up your imagination, intuition and creativity; it gives you new eyes to see a new experience of people and the world.

Even taking a road trip, or train and getting to another part of the country gives you an opening to a different culture, different accents and ways of speaking and believing and a variety of food. You can always watch travel shows, read travel books and stories and converse and be with those from various cultures. In these ways, you can vicariously, gain similar experiences.

For several years and particularly now, with what’s going on in the Middle East, I’m seeing people take strong sides without having enough knowledge about the history, culture, attitudes and mentality of the peoples involved in the conflict. We seem to see everyone in the world as being similar to us: in heart, mentality and spirit and every culture is quite different.

I would love to see a program in the USA where students are forced to take a gap year………..for service (ie: Peace Corps, Math Core, etc.) or for travel (and service). Instead of the draft, all must take one year, to learn about others and to help in some sort of service. For those who are not able to pay, the government would fund you. I do believe this would help to stop the isolation of many Americans, who stay in their own, big country and even, in their own small communities, without experiencing the ‘other.’

It’s essential to meet and relate to those who are different from you, in some ways or in every way. Not only does this open your brain/mind and body, it expands your heart and soul. You start to understand that you’re human and that we’re all human, whether your ideas and habits are similar to or differ from others’.

So, do travel, in whatever way you can…….and learn, grow, and expand. It will make you more empathic and compassionate, and more open-minded and open-hearted. It makes it easier to follow the Golden Rule, which is the basis of all religions and spiritual thought: ‘treat others as you want to be treated’.

The famous American writer, Mark Twain, said it well:

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.”

Bon voyage & good travels!

With smiles & love,

Dr Gigi

PS: I have some good tips & tricks for traveling for less. I haven’t always had the money for international travel but managed to do it; there are ways. Be in touch at gigiarnaud.com or at the social media sites below.

Change your Thoughts, Change your Mind, Change your World